During this hard economic time another boycott on Jamaica’s tourism and goods will not be the best solution to Jamaica’s homophobia at this time, as we have seen before EGALE Canada had tried to boycott Jamaica goods and services including tourism, That international call had let to an increase in attack on the LGBT community, even on the lesbian population that has some acceptance. The calling of another boycott from another country clearly state that our conditions of living as reach the international community, with the call now coming from San Francisco, U.S.A.
The group is calling for a boycott on tourism and Jamaica’s top beer company Red Stripe, OUTWEEKLY do not support the call for an international boycott on Red Strip, this decision comes after Red Stripe made a proud and bold move to stop sponsoring events with Jamaican Dancehall artists who incite murder on homosexuals, It was only last month at there first live fund raising event, Red Strip prematurely ended the performance of the homophobic artist Jeffery Campbell (Assassin) where he use the term “fish” (gay man) in a negative term in one of his songs. However we have to question Red Strip decision to have Jeffery Campbell in there line up in the first, knowing that he publicly express his anti-gay views in his music. The issues of homophobia in Jamaican dancehall music has reach world wide, with various groups in different countries lobbing against it, and with positive moves like this we have seen a decline in murder music.
We share the same frustration that the US base group as on the issue of homosexual rights in the country, but boycott and threat is not going to make Mr. Bruce Golding and his cabinet of “straight,” think any better of us. Threats of Boycott can be made in your country where homosexuality and its acts are legal, and get a positive out come, but it will be a different case for us here in Jamaica, where the slightest suspicion of you been a homosexual can lead to verbal and physical abuse even death. In your country the fight for gay marriage is on the agenda, Jamaica is by far not close to that, we are stilling fighting for social change yet alone the removal of the Buggery Act. We are urging the US-base group who are leading this boycott to remove Red Strip off there list of products that they will be calling for to boycott, also urging others who decide to boycott Jamaica to do there research and communicate with local LGBT groups before they decide to go ahead with there plans.
We understand that the gay rights movement world wide is a force to be reckoning with, and any one who is targeted by this movement will have a rough time. In this hard economic time where countries are struggling, the call for an international boycott will only lead to more jobs cut and the closing of business, which include homosexual business as well.
In a time where homosexuality is now been place on “the plate” of issues that Jamaica is facing, it will not be wise to have boycott campaigns on the islands, for every action there will be repercussions, let us engage in positive things that’s will not jeopardize our safety, such as: more public campaign denouncing homophobia, the education of the society to different lifestyle and different family structure, the sanitization of Government official and church leaders, which are some of the key areas that are contributing to homophobia in Jamaica. With that said this is a call to local activists that the fight for our right in this country will not be achieve only by individuals, but the collective effort, support and determination of us all.
Kenneth Davis,
Chaiman
"together we stand divided we fall"
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